Excelsior Correspondent
KISHTWAR, July 15: The people from Paddar-Gulabgah and Atholi area are facing severe water crisis despite the fact that thousands of pilgrims would arrive here for annual Machail Mata pilgrimage in August .
The people including women, carrying empty pots also held strong protest on Saturday in front of the SDM, Paddar (Gulabgarh) office for drawing attention of the higher authorities towards this problem. The people were shouting slogans against the PHE authorities Paddar, Kishtwar and also against the DC Kishtwar and the State Government.
They alleged that the only an old water supply scheme exists in Gulabgarh. It was devised for meeting the need of nearly 1000 souls, but now its population has increased to five folds but no new water supply scheme was framed. At many places the pipes are broken and they are not repaired . The people have to depend on the natural source which are very few in the area. They demanded that water supply to the area be augmented and new water supply scheme be launched to meet the demand of safe drinking water for the public and also thousands of pilgrims visiting this area every year. They also submitted a memorandum to the SDM for the DC Kishtwar.
The people demanded that concerned DC Kishtwar should hold public Darbar at Paddar-Gulabgarh to attend the public grievances.